11/06/2026
On this day…
On the 11th June 1957 the footballing world lost an icon, a ‘Wembley Wizard’, Transfer record breaker, the last man to captain Newcastle United to a Championship and to this day the most prolific Newcastle player with an 82% striker rate.
Hughie Gallacher was born in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire on 2 February 1903.
When schooling at Bellshill Academy he was a close friend of Alex James who was born in the adjoining village of Mossend. The two went on to become the most revered Scottish footballers of their generation.
Gallacher and James offered their services to junior league side, Bellshill Athletic. Some bright spark in their wisdom dismissed the two footballing maestros as, ’far too small’. They were though allowed to push the club hamper for away matches to and from the station. They were paid half a crown for their efforts.
Gallacher had been down the Hattonrig Pit at the age of 15, working 10-hour shifts. At 16 he left Lanarkshire junior league side Tannochside Athletic to join Hattonrigg Thistle. However fate played a part in his next move up the football ladder. As a spectator he attended to watch Bellshill Athletic play St Mirren juniors. Bellshill were a man short and Gallacher was asked to play. After hitting his side’s goal in the 1-1 draw he was asked to join the club as a player.
Willie Bell, Club Secretary for Bellshill Athletic, recalled one game against Vale of Clyde that was to symbolise Gallacher’s career. Three times Gallacher was carried off the pitch injured. Three times he returned to the pitch to score.
In December 1920, Hughie Gallacher was picked for the Scottish junior side to play against Ireland at Shawfield in Glasgow. 17 year old Gallacher’s fine header gave Scotland an equaliser with two minutes remaining in the 1-1 draw.
‘At 5’ 5", Gallacher had neither height nor weight. However, as he would show time after time in the years ahead, the weapons that he had in his armoury were simply out of this world. Utterly fearless bravery was routine in Gallacher’s game. He had the intuition, guile and ball control of a magician. He was superb at unnerving big defenders by dropping off deep into space in front of them before turning and running menacingly with the ball. He skipped and swerved effortlessly past opponents with his dribbling runs. His goal threat was terrifying, packing ferocious and precise shooting with either foot and excellent spring making him very handy with his head despite his diminutive appearance. If that wasn’t enough, Gallacher had an astonishing ability to score ’impossible’ goals. When not scoring himself he laid on chances for team mates with incisive passes, flicks and touches. Tremendous at shielding, Gallacher’s manner of hunching over the ball made it a near impossibility to dispossess him without knocking him over risking a free kick.’
Hughie Gallacher’s time at Bellshill Athletic was short lived as his talent was unmissable. A tough, determined player whose performances saw him rise to the top of the game.
